Customer base

I seem to be doing work that is mostly single location one time jobs. I even just noticed that a customer that I did 9 locations for 2 yrs ago for a great price just had them done again and I didn't even get a call. I had followed up with him recently and in the past about them so I'm not sure what happened. The work we did was great and the paint lasted much longer than most in my area. Any advice for getting and keeping multiple location customers? Is there a certain kind of business and particular approach I should be working on? I refuse to believe that the big paving companies have all the work and the little guy is just supposed to try to get in with them rather than the actual customer. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

Communication! as in every relationship works best. Have you talked with our customers in the last month? Stop by there site during coffee brake, maybe they could use a dozen donuts. Check and see if there are any changes coming up like additional fire lane or cross walks. Check and see if any of your customers have gotten a new manager in the last year. Drop buy a new advertising flyer showing you have upgraded your equipment to help make there job better. Your business should be growing so show it. if it is not growing or improving then accept the fact that your competition is and they are going to overtake you. Again communication is very important in any relationship.

It happens, just part of doing business and the reason we always have to be looking for new customers. Also one of the reasons I no longer do direct sales, it's more work selling it then painting it.

Every part of this business is more work then the painting.

Eric, my customer base is/are property managers....fish em and hook em! property managers have alot of work . apartment search firms, do too....get to the regional manager and send in prices and insurance...call and follow up every few weeks...local level property managers always want estimates and they will call you for a hundred little things. but the regional managers will handle your k invoices and will call you direct for the big jobs....like they said in the other post, communication...be friendly and inviting upon initial contact. make sure to shake hands. I also stop by every big parkinglot with good potential roi. Get to the Project super with a business card ready and a quick 8 second infopitch. include name, biz name, experience level, insurance cert available, give you an estimate within 30-60 min upon getting plans ( and do it), I dont do many parking lot through asphalt companies..well i only do for 1 but they call once in a while....get with hospitals, parking garage management, real estate companies,....all these folks im telling you about have multiple locations, and they usually have the bigger parking lots too...property management companies are gold...